Last Week in TV - Week of May 11 - Reviews and Episode Awards

Welcome to Last Week in TV and the unofficial end of the 2013-2014 TV season. I hope you have found new shows to enjoy and stayed excited about some older ones. TV has been quite a switch for me this year. Generally I am a sci fi/drama aficionado, but this year was all about the comedies for me. Sure Sleepy Hollow rocked my world and left my jaw hanging open. Teen Wolf came into its own this year too. But by far, the best new shows for me were ½ hour sitcoms. The Goldbergs, Enlisted, and Surviving Jack were 3 of the best shows I saw this season. Sadly only 2 of my 4 favorite newbies are returning but that's par for the course these days. As we switch into summer viewing, Last Week in TV will change slightly. First off, I will be taking a short 2-3 week break after next week's column. When I get back I will be reviewing my summer shows of course - woo hoo for Teen Wolf coming back so soon! I will also be marathoning various shows to review them too. So if you have any great marathon shows, please nominate them in the short form below. I hope to get through ALL nominations this summer so that I can start fresh when fall TV inevitably gets here. Until next week, happy TV viewing!





Overall Awards:

Best Action - SHIELD - May vs. Ward

It was the fight I had been waiting for since the pilot of SHIELD: Agent May's kick butt ninja skills versus Ward's well-trained soldier combat prowess. Originally I just wanted to see them train in an all-out bragging rights fight. Ever since Ward was revealed as Hydra, I dreamed of something even bigger. I was not disappointed. This is my vote for best action scene of the season. Complete with enough inherent baggage between them to make the fight personal, Ward and May pummeled each other through drywall and even took up power tools to make their case. I love how in the beginning they were evenly matched. It would not have made sense for the fight to be one-sided to me. They each got in a few good licks and each were winning at one time. Then Ward made the fatal mistake. He opened his mouth, and much in the same way a villain monologue always trips them up, he antagonized May further. From that point on, it was over even if he gave as good as he got for several minutes more. In the end a well placed nail gun to the foot crippled Ward and May had the last word as always. See what getting cocky does to you, Ward. Just saying. By the close of the fight, my heart was pumping and I was tempted to shout, "Again!" at my TV. That was one epic battle and most definitely worth the wait. Please say there will be a part 2. Only this time, grab some swords.

Best Episode - Grimm - 3.22 - Blond Ambition (season finale)

With the exception of continually bringing up the love spell from last season, I thoroughly enjoyed the season finale of Grimm…mostly because it ensures that Teen Grimm will still be around for at least the beginning of season 4. I like how she is now needed in Portland, while Nick can choose whether to try to get his Grimm powers back again or not. I hope it's a decision that takes a little time because the longer it takes for him to be re-Grimmed, the longer Teen Grimm will remain. I only hope that she doesn't die to force Nick to become a Grimm again. Another big highlight of this episode was Wu finally getting confirmation that he wasn't crazy. I hope he smacks all of the Grimm Gang for making him believe he was. Then of course there were the two main events. Monroe and Rosalee's wedding was beautiful (kudos on the better dress) right up until Teen Grimm shows up and reveals that Nick is un-Grimmed. I like both of these events. It should be interesting to play in the aftermath of the wedding though. Finally, we had Renard shot and bleeding out, the one cliffhanger I don't care for. Hopefully he will live and also get an actual plot line next season. At least get him out of the hospital, precinct and his apartment on a more regular basis please.



TV Trend of the Week - Character Math - The 100 (Grounder Queen), Grimm (Teen Grimm), Playing House (Gwen), SHIELD (Nick Fury, Ward, and Fitz), TURN (Abigail and Jordan), The Blacklist (Tom and Malik), Elementary (Mycroft)

Additions: Finale week always comes with big twists and cliffhangers, so it comes as little surprise that characters get added and subtracted to create drama. Sometimes these are a hit; sometimes I wonder where the show runner's head was. The biggest highlight in character math this week was by far the Grounder Queen in The 100. She didn't get much screen time but she packed a punch. I love how she opened Clarke's eyes to how the grounders see things. The 100 are enemy invaders who have killed their own and Jasper shooting first confirmed their suspicions. Clarke came in thinking she had the moral high ground but promptly had the wind removed from her blustering sails. I certainly hope that Grounder Queen comes looking for and gets payback. Another show revitalized by the addition of a young female who can kick butt was Grimm. To be honest, my patience with and attention to Grimm had been ebbing, but now I cannot wait to see how Teen Grimm adjusts to life in Portland. One thing is for sure. She's already a better Grimm than Nick is and this allows Nick to pursue a mentoring role instead. Similarly, adding Abigail and Jordan to TURN allows us to see another dimension to the war. A slave's perspective is often missing in American Revolution tales, so it is refreshing to see how they have been integrated into the bigger plot as well. On the comedy side, I love that Jane Kaczmarek has joined Playing House as Emma's mother. Their relationship cracks me up and Kaczmarek is in her element as a repressed mother, who is trying to spread her wings and unsure of where her daughter fits into her new life. Final kudos goes to Nick Fury on SHIELD as the best cameo of the year. He's so super cool nothing fazes him.

Subtractions: Sadly, we also say goodbye to many characters too, some of whose fates are currently up in the air. For instance, how much will Ward from SHIELD be featured next year? Is he a subtle subtraction we don't know to mourn yet? Same with Fitz, whose condition will likely be magically healed like Skye, but who knows if budget cuts are in order. Then we had Mycroft of Elementary, who may not have died for real but for all intents and purposes is unlikely to appear anytime soon. When a mob thinks you're dead, it's best not to show up on the radar. This is a real shame because the last few episodes that focused on Mycroft have been some of the best of the series. I hope they can keep up the momentum without the twists that revolved around him. Still the biggest loss of the TV season comes from The Blacklist. Taking Malik, one of the handful of kick butt women on TV, was a huge blow. Her character was intriguing and there was so much more to explore about her. I would have rather had Ressler die and kill off the annoying shipping they are likely to start there. Then, on top of taking out the most fearless female, they took out the most fascinating character, Tom. I really feel that by killing him so early, the show runners have shot themselves in the foot. Tom played nicely off of both lead characters and added instant drama to a scene. Without him, my interest in The Blacklist is already waning.



Nominated Show: Mad Men - 7.02 - A Day's Work

Note - There is no new show this week because the only ones I saw listed were Penny Dreadful, which I had to turn off in the first 2 minutes when the spider crawled up the praying woman's arm, and Rosemary's Baby, which was a mini-series.

I have never seen a second of Mad Men, so I hesitate jumping in to an episode that starts with a previously. Usually that means I have to have more background knowledge than I am coming with. Still, this is the episode that was nominated so I assume this one stands out…just not to someone who doesn't know the characters. I have no idea if I should be rooting for Joan or Don or Sally. I don't have a stake in the coming war between Roger and Jim. Mostly though, I found it hard to like the characters with the exception of Joan, Shirley, and the realtor. That's generally a deal breaker for me. Based on this episode, I wouldn't watch Mad Men again but I feel like my lack of background knowledge has done a great disservice, so I will try to watch the pilot over the summer and see if I get sucked in more.

Grade: C-
Ranking: 1

Best Scene - Joan gets tired of people playing secretary roulette and has had it, only to get a promotion.

Best Quote - Hobart: "Well what are you trying to do, Don? Are you taking lunches now?" Don: "No, I'm just looking for love." Hobart: "Well on behalf of myself and all the millionaires at McCann-Erikson, we'd love a chance to tell you how handsome you are."

Best Reason to Watch - office politics, maybe. I assume it's a big deal that Joan got promoted, but I'm not sure.

Biggst Aww Moment - Sally tells her father she loves him and he's flabbergasted

Best Nostalgia - The 60's were before my time, but seeing classic TV outside of Nick at Night was fun.

Worst Nostalgia - The micro mini skirts

The "This is What You Call Bonding?" Award - Don teaches his daughter to dine and dash. They seem to have a completely dysfunctional relationship.

Most Cavalier - Sally Draper and friends about someone who died

Biggest Douches - Lou and Peggy

Weirdest Delivery - Sally, who pauses a lot when she speaks



Weekly Shows:

TURN - 1.06 - Mr. Culpepper

TURN continues to fascinate me with its old world spying and political machinations. Adding Washington and Sackett is a bonus. Mostly though this was Ben's episode and it worked well because of it…and because the love triangle made nary a peep. I like how Ben was not afraid to give his honest opinion even to as high up as Washington and I look forward to seeing him work with Sackett in the future. I am sure they are going to butt heads a lot but adding more spies to the roster excites me, with all its complications. I like the idea of broadening the scope a bit. To that end, I was disappointed that Terrence died so quickly, but it does bear out Ben's theory that using a spy's natural background works better than complicated aliases. I am fascinated as well by where this episode took Abigail and Jordan. I never expected Jordan to fall into Rogers' militia and I keep thinking Andre is going to be evil to Abigail, but so far he has been generous. It actually unnerves me. Simcoe is easy to read, as is Hewlett. Andre is far more difficult and it makes each reaction on screen a bit of a surprise.

Grade: B+

Best Scene - Ben tells Washington that without trust no network of spies can be built and gets promoted for his honesty and out-of-the-box thinking

Best Character Interaction - Ben and Washington

The "Mmm Hmm" Award - Generally eye candy does little for me, but my heart skipped a beat at the sight of the naked torso of Aldis Hodge before Jordan pummeled a loud mouthed jerk in the ring. Awesome fighting as well.

Worst Spy Move Ever - Abraham tells the man holding him hostage that he is a spy because that guy tells him he is a continental soldier. Really? He's a known thief and you are trusting his word. Michael Westen would be rolling his eyes at you Abraham. Loose lips and all.

The "You Should Have Killed Him While You Had the Chance" Award - Simcoe is the bane of most of the characters, so not killing him was a huge mistake

Most Nerve-Wracking - Abraham is to receive judgment for his insubordination right after watching Washington hang a man for theft. That cannot be comforting.

Creepiest Moment - Andre teaches Abigail how to set a place setting. I kept thinking he was going to do something evil to her when he smiled so creepily. You could tell she thought so too.

The "Blink and You Missed Him" Award - Lieutenant Terrence, who was intriguing in as much as he was a new spy added in the ring. Sadly, his intrigue ended with a knife to the neck and we're still only one half-spy in the mix.

The "Huh?" Award - Sackett writing out spy scenarios. I have no idea what the point of that was. I mean no one actually believed that Abraham was going to die in the 6th episode, right? That was just odd.

Best History Add-in: Ben was best friends at Yale with Nathan Hale, Washington's most well-known spy / Abraham Woodhull becomes Mr. Culpepper

24: Live Another Day - 9.03 - (1-2 pm)

I still have no idea what's going on, but the action is still crisp and the plot races forward. That's enough for now. I'm not sure how the POTUS expects to win hearts over on the very day 4 people are murdered. There is something to be said for timing. I'm also still pretty sure that dear old son-in-law is planning his own coup, if not an official one. As for Chloe, I didn't know she had a son, much less a murdered one, so I feel for her. At the same time, I wanted to smack Jack for making her pain all about his mission. Take it down a notch and give her a minute. You have 1,440 of them. However the scene stealer tonight was Mama Terrorist. She looks all motherly but she is dead inside except when it comes to the mission. I'm almost hesitant to see what she does next.

Grade: B

Best Quote - Adrian: "Has anybody ever mentioned your rather rude habit of asking for favors accompanied by threat of a gun?"

Biggest Wuss - For all his blustering, the big bad drug broker tells them what he knows when they pull into a bad neighborhood.

Scariest Moment - Momma Terrorist makes veiled threats to her son-in-law, who can't get over the fact that she sent his wife to sleep with the programmer in order to steal the device. She doesn't do anything but you know she's one small spark away from gutting him like a fish if he doesn't cooperate.

Biggest Aww Moment - Chloe tells Jack that her ex-husband and son are dead. An attack was sent to kill her but she had to work late so it killed them instead.

The "I Think that Might be Treason" award - I don't know my treasonable offenses very well, but I think forging the President of the United States' signature without telling him might be one of them.

The "Go with Your Instincts" Award - Navid, you should trust yourself. You are likely to die anyway, so go out with a good conscience.

Instant Flash Mob - Nothing like shooting some people to spur a mob and sneak into the embassy.

Biggest Double Cross - Adrian sinks Jack and I have a hard time blaming him considering all Jack has done. Still paying someone back for being rude should not equal allowing terrorists to murder hundreds.

Most Controlling - Yes, Audrey has a point about Mark being ultra controlling but he has nothing on Momma Terrorist, who watches her daughter and her husband in bed. Blech!

Star-Crossed - 1.13 - Passion Lends Them Powers (series finale)

And thus ends Star-Crossed, a fabulous socipolitical thriller bogged down by hopeless love triangles and romantic nonsense. I blame the CW marketing department mostly but the show runner shares some responsibility for trying to cater to 2 very different types of fans and ultimately pleasing none. If they had dropped the star-crossed lovers bit from the beginning, I believe this show might have made it to season 2. It had all the components needed to succeed (besides a good timeslot) even as a full season bid. Now it is stuck in the "what could have been" pile of other previously great TV concepts that died in execution. Sigh. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted and maybe someone in the future will stumble over Star-Crossed's bones, resurrect it, fix the problems, and give it the justice it deserved. While I'm concocting a plausible and fulfilling ending in my head, I'll dream of a Star-Crossed that didn't rely so heavily on the star-crossed.

Grade: B

Best Scene - They all work together to stop the bomb from going off

Best Quote - Taylor: "What's going to happen…I start showing. Not to mention, I suddenly have Wonder Woman strength."

Best Reason to Watch - You can't come this far and not know if the bomb is going to go off or not.

Best Reason to Fast Forward - one last time say it with me ----Roman and Emery time. This time I actually DID fast forward. The rest of the love stuff just interrupted the "stop the bomb" plan.

Worst Part of a Cancelled Sci-Fi Show - Having to make up the ending on your own. What am I supposed to do with that ending?

The "Awww, They're Working Together" Award - Teri and Emery save Roman together with Cyper

The "Back Off" Award - Gloria, you of all people ought to know how hard having a human-Atrian hybrid baby is.

Best Plan - Lukas sets Mardi Gras on fire

The "Hey, There's an App for That" Award - Lukas downloads a Geiger counter app just in case one ever needs to know how radioactive something is. Isn't the future grand?

The "Say What?" Award - Atrians have an herb that makes you see your dead? That's just cruel.

Biggest Aww Moment - Roman meets his half brother

The "Way to Go" Award - Instead of playing the victim, Taylor gets herself free. Love that Atrian pregnancy strength hormone.

Biggest Surprise - Gloria calls in the Special Forces to round up Vega and the Trags after Teri tips her off.

Least Surprising - Roman uses the Trag mask and Emery to get up to Zoe

Blacklist - 1.22 - Berlin: Conclusion (season finale)

I've enjoyed The Blacklist this season, just not as a weekly show. I feel this is best served in big portions with ample time to digest afterwards. Let's just call it the Thanksgiving turkey of TV. Watching week by week rarely leaves me satisfied and I'm often frustrated by the lack of answers. In this, the season finale was the same. No answers, although we do see who Berlin is. Worst, they killed the 2 most interesting characters outside of Red. Killing off secondary characters to created instant tension rarely works in the long-term and I'm afraid that killing Tom Keen was a huge mistake. Turning him into the enemy was brilliant and they should have let that brew a bit longer. Slightly less annoying was killing off Malik. There aren't enough kick butt females on TV as it were and Elizabeth is no substitute for her.

Grade: B

Most Powerful Scene - Red talks about killing Sam

Best Quote - Red: "Tell me your story. I'm not leaving here without a story."

Best Reason to Watch - The mystery of Berlin gets bigger and Elizabeth finally stops pretending that she's going anywhere without Red

Most Impressive Skills - If this master criminal thing doesn't work out, Red can hide out in the circus as a knife thrower.

The "Well Hello" Award - Hi, Matt Lauer. Fancy meeting you here. Nice of you to join, The Blacklist.

Best Moment - Cooper completely ignores his stuffed shirt new boss to concentrate on the case

Best Twist - Stuffed Shirt helps Red escape

The "Say What?" Award - Malik is NOT an acceptable sacrifice. She's one of the few characters that I really like.

The "He's NOT Fooling Around" Award - Red just shoots everyone on his way to get to Berlin

Biggest Mistake - Killing off Tom. There goes one of my few reasons to watch this live next season. This one's headed for the marathon on hiatus pile.

Warehouse 13 - 5.05 - Cangku Shisi

This was one fun ride of an episode, my favorite of season 5. It had action galore and a fun nod to artifacts past. It took on the season's Big Bad and tied up all major loose ends. Mostly though, I really enjoyed learning more about the warehouse itself in this episode. I always wondered how they got everything from one place to another without losing any artifacts in the move. That question was abundantly answered. I also like the tidbit about Mrs. Frederic's sister. It feels like the two biggest mysteries of Warehouse 13, Mrs. Frederic and the warehouse itself, were given their due a bit here. The still remain mysterious but that's what future TV movies (hopefully) and good fan fiction are for. Take out the last 5 minutes and Pete's relationship nonsense and this would have been everything I could have wanted from the finale. Sadly, they placed it one episode too soon. I've seen the actual finale and for me, the series ends with this one. And so from that perspective, I say adieu Warehouse 13. You were great entertainment while you lasted. I'm only sorry that you were a bit tarnished this season by adding unnecessary plot twists and cramming far too much in for such a short season. I wish the show runner and writers had let you breathe a bit more in these last 6 episodes instead of applying the "everything and the kitchen sink" approach. It made you a bit less than you were before. Still, I will think of you fondly when I do my seasons 1-4 rewatch.

Grade: B+

Best Scene - Green Dragon tavern / defeating Valda even if it was too easy

Best Return - Mark Sheppard

Best Reason to Watch - lots of information on how the warehouse works, and a new part of the warehouse

Best Reason to Fast Forward - shipping nonsense

Least Surprising - Claudia connects with Claire through their Garbage song

Smartest - Pete and his great plan

Best Physical Reaction - Pete to spiders / Artie once he gets thawed

Biggest Businessman - Valda, who wants to militarize the artifacts

Biggest Aww Moment - Claire cries as she is forced to almost crush Claudia

The "Oh Yeah Right" Award - Any show where a secret passageway from the Revolution or even the Civil War still works gets an automatic eye roll

Biggest Surprise - Claire can become the caretaker if Claudia dies just like Mrs. Frederic took over for her sister. Yeah, she had a sister. Who knew?

The "Oh Uh" Award - Artie: "No, there's no plan D."

Best Hug - Artie and Steve congratulating themselves on saving the warehouse when it was really Pete, Myka, and Claire.

Playing House - 1.03 / 1.04 - Unfinished Business / Totes Kewl

Playing House is growing on me because of its heart. I don't laugh as much as I did in the midseason comedies, but I certainly awww in this show. What works is the relationship between Emma and Maggie. I completely buy them as best friends and childhood pals. Theirs is an easy bond that draws the viewer in, something not easy to fake. I look forward to seeing where this show is going. If this is USA Network's comedy plan, I wholeheartedly embrace it. Goodness knows they are screwing up the dramas.

Grade: B / B+

Best Scene - Mark and Maggie talk while on a stakeout

Biggest Aww Scene - Maggie and Bruce at the park / Maggie and Emma make up

Best Quote - Emma: "I don't want to live in a well. I don't want to live in a well."

Best Reason to Watch - the friendship of Maggie and Emma. They have a lot of chemistry on screen.

Best Addition - Jane Kaczmarek, so nice to see her back on my TV

Best Comeback - Gary puts Emma in her place when she questions his credentials

Biggest Meta - Zach actually says, "Characters welcome," in his poetry reading, which is the tagline for the USA Network

The "Say What?" Award - I have no idea why Maggie is grilling Candy like she's in a cop show. It wasn't funny and it made zero sense. In fact, I was wondering if she had a mental condition.

Foul on that Play - Sorry Maggie, but I'm siding with Emma here. Just because you are best friends doesn't mean you get to drag her into something she really, really does not want to do. / Maggie, you can't hold Emma responsible if you don't tell her the truth about how you feel

Funniest - Emma's mom is lusting over the same cop that Maggie and Emma were to their chagrin

Best Prank - Bruce, who comes up behind them in a hockey mask while they are watching Silence of the Lambs

The "Grow Up" Award - Emma first tries to hide from her mom and then tries to pick a fight with her. Make up your mind.

Most oblivious - Emma really doesn’t read social cues well, even with her best friend, whom she should be able to read in most situations

Most Uncomfortable - the sexual innuendo when a cop installs a baby seat

Most Awkward - Gwen gives Emma syrup from her purse and invites her to go get more

The "Exactly How Old Are You?" Award - No one over the age of 14 should ever say, "totes kewl." Ever! That goes double for "feels" as a noun.

SHIELD - 1.22 - Beginning of the End (season finale)

The Agents of SHIELD season finale could best be described as an honest to goodness Disney fairy tale. The good guys won. The bad guys lost. Nick Fury was their own personal fairy godmother. It's not a stretch to say that if this were it, they'd live happily ever after. Well except Fitz and Ward. Thing is that most of it felt like a series finale instead of a season one. It's almost like the writers were the only people on earth unsure of whether SHIELD would get a season 2. Therefore they wrapped most of the show up neatly before closing credits. There's no real cliffhanger I expect from sci fi shows. Sure Skye's Pops has an advanced case of hematidrosis and Coulson inherited Garrett's strange tic for etching, but neither seem sci-fi finale big. Yeah Fitz's condition is up in the air, but no one is weeping by his bedside begging him to hold on just a bit longer for a miracle cure. It all ended a bit flat. Perhaps rebuilding SHIELD is the big kicker, but if it ended here I would have been satisfied.

Grade: B+ (with bonus points for the epic action)

Best Scene / Best Action - May vs. Ward fight

Best Quote - Coulson: "So what do you say? You ready to change the world?" May: "No, I'm ready to kick some a**." Coulson: "That works too."

Best Reason to Watch - the good guys won and Coulson got promoted

Best Twist - I was in the middle of tweeting about how no one is really dead in a sci fi show unless they get beheaded so of course Garrett would come back. Then he did in the finale and I sighed, right until Coulson blew him into tiny bits. Woo hoo! Didn't see that coming and it takes a lot to shock me that much. Kudos all around!

Best Return - Fury, who found them through the SHIELD signal Fitz rigged up

Biggest Surprise Return - Keonig, well his twin brother Billy. He's installed in the new super secret hideout base and still as obsessed with lanyards as the original. I'm beginning to think there's a Koenig at every secret base SHIELD owns.

Most Nuts - Garrett, who is a cross between high and crazy, with huge, creepy eyes

The "If You weren't a Greedy, Evil Douche, I'd Actually Feel Sorry for You" Award - Oh Quinn, it's hard to be a salesman when your boss keeps killing your clients. Perhaps you should find another line of work.

Worst Cliffhanger - everything Skye

Best Surprise - Mike blasts Garrett after Skye proves she has his son

Least Surprising - Garrett was not dead after Mike pulverized him, even if they thought he was

The "Oh Yeah, There's Nothing Wrong with You at All" award - Garrett actually says, "Now the truth is written on the back of my eyes." Yeah, there's the guy you want to lead you into battle.

Biggest Awww Moment - Fitz gives Simmons the only oxygen tank

Best Sign that Things Really have Changed - Coulson includes May in his meeting with Fury, which signals to me that their relationship is completely restored again

Biggest Mystery - While I'd love to say it was the etchings Garrett and Coulson made, in all honesty, it's what Ward's role will be in season 2. I hope he's still in it. There's a lot still left to mine in his character.

The Goldbergs - 1.23 - Livin' on a Prayer (season finale)

No show does the end of episode song montage better than The Goldbergs. It's one of my favorite parts because generally that's right where the heart comes. Just a simple thing like watching the Goldbergs have fun playing basketball together warms my spirits. Add in the best 80's song ever, Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi, and it's all good. I even like the voice overs in this show, which hasn't happened since Burn Notice. As for this episode, I adored it. Mostly because it starred my two favorite Goldbergs, Murray and Barry. I love how their high school lives were so different but they connect here. I like that Barry is allowed a win even more. It happens so rarely. All in all, I laughed throughout the show but I also felt for the characters more than ever. So much so that I cheered along when Barry proclaimed it his best night ever. Thanks cast and crew for creating a comedy in which I genuinely care about the characters. That almost never happens. Bring on season 2!

Grade: A-

Best Scene - Barry pleads his case to Murray, who gives him 10 minutes before he breaks up the party

Best Quote - Adam: "Move over Aunt Rose's 50th. This is the hottest party this dining room's ever seen."

Best Reason to Watch - learning more about Murray's background / Barry finally feeling like a winner

Best Aww Scene - Lainey pep talks Barry

The "Yeah, You Know You Sang Along Too" Award - Bon Jovi was basically the anthem of my high school years. It is an 80's imperative that if it comes on, you turn it up and sing along. I refuse to be embarrassed for it. You know you were singing along too.

Most Persistent - Barry, who can do something badly 100 times and still get excited about the 1 time he accidentally gets it right

Cutest High School Chant - "Let's go beavers, chop, chop, chop" complete with hand gestures like people talking.

Biggest Shock - Lainey kisses Barry to make Lexy jealous

The "Oh Do I Feel for You" Award - Murray, when he air balls a free throw using the granny shot. That's just embarrassing.

Trend Starter - Beverly, whose wardrobe made the first ever Ugly Sweater party. Christmas office parties will forever be in your debt.

Best Continuity - The same frat guy who Beverly cleaned for to get back Murray's chair shows up at the party and negotiate his return of her sweater.

Best 80's Reference (non-music) - Barry does the Karate Kid crane kick as one of his dance moves

Trophy Wife - 1.22 - Mother's Day (series finale)

And thus ends Trophy Wife, a TV show that was saddled with an unfortunate name and a tendency to go overboard on the wacky, but still far better than the majority of new shows this season. I will be sorry to see this clan go. Diane was always my personal favorite but anytime the 3 wives were together, it was bound to be a great scene.

Grade: B

Best Scene - The entire family hanging out in the hotel room together

Best Quote - Jackie: "Get off of my meal ticket."

Best Reason to Watch - This family may not be your typical family, but they have twice as much heart even in their wackiness

Biggest Manipulator - Bert makes Sad Steve tell him where Jackie is at

Biggest Laugh - Meg pretends to be Pete's wife as he wakes up

The "Beware Ex-Wives Bearing Compliments" Award - Kate is super excited about Diane and Jackie leaving the kids with her on Mother's Day. I'm suspicious of how Jackie wants to jet away before Kate can even fawn over them for it.

Snarkiest - Pete's doctor and his cartoon broccoli pamphlet

The "Yeah Right" Award - Jackie, even if you got Diane as smashed as the Christmas fiasco, there's no way she's having a threesome with you. No way.

The "I Can't Believe You Just Did That" Award - Diane cuts the phone cord at the receptionist desk at the hospital. Security! Actually I can't believe a receptionist's desk would still have a corded phone so maybe it's a good thing.

The 100 - 1.09 - Unity Day

I find it fascinating that when this show started I wanted to fast forward through the Ark scenes and rush back to those on Earth. Now it's the direct opposite. For the last few episodes, the Ark has gotten really interesting while the earth scenes were mostly mired down in the typical CW fare. However I have great hope that the show's newest addition, Grounder Queen, can shake that up a bit. Just like the insert of Teen Grimm, she could be the warrior leader we need now that Bellamy and Clarke have done a mind meld outside common sense. I am certainly more interested in the grounders than anything else right now. Well that and of course the Ark. I'm not sure how dire the circumstances are and if there is another ship. Surely there is because that didn't look like it would hold 700+ people and all their supplies to me. Still, if there is another ship it makes Diana's actions even more rash and make less sense. Here's hoping she tells us when she makes it to the ground and we find out it was a piece of the Ark that hit the earth instead. I mean surely they wouldn't introduce a Big Bad and kill her off within 3 episodes, right? Oh well, either way it is win-win. Either she's dead and I don't have to be disappointed by her idiocy or she's alive and she gives Clarke and Bellamy a reason to be on opposite sides again, which was far more captivating.

Grade: B

Best Scene - Grounder Queen and Clarke meet

Best Quote - Finn: "You really want a war because at this rate, that's what's coming. Look I know it's a long shot, but this is our world now. I think we can do better than the first time around. I trust him."

Best Reason to Watch - the Ark issues and the Grounder Queen

Stupidest Move Yet - Bellamy brings an armed Jasper to a meeting with the grounders. In what universe would that at all be a wise move.

Most Improved / Biggest Idealist - Finn, who when given something to do outside the scope of a love triangle, becomes an intriguing character again. I hope that Finn continues to play a bigger role, especially since he is now the voice of reason to a leadership that has lost all common sense.

Biggest Disappointment - Diana, who I thought was going to be a great, manipulative foe. Instead she jumps the gun too soon so that it makes little to no sense.

Pretty Nifty Trick - the title card explodes a little too after the Ark does

The "Did You Learn Nothing" Award - After everyone was hopped up on toxic berries in the last episode, I'm not sure having the whole camp get drunk on moonshine is a great plan.

The "Isn't It Romantic" Award - Lincoln, the grounder, leaves a path of flowers for Octavia to follow and she comes at him with a knife to practice her ambush tactics

Best New Addition - Grounder Queen. I hope she comes back and I hope she kicks major butt.

Elementary - 2.24 - The Grand Experiment (season finale)

For the last several weeks, Elementary has reasserted itself as Must Watch TV for me. A large part of that has been the reveal that Mycroft was working for MI-6 and the character reactions to that. So, it is with mixed emotions that I approach this finale. I loved that Sherlock finally knew the truth about why his brother joined MI-6 again. It was a crucial character development and led to one of the most beautiful proclamations Sherlock has ever given. I truly believe that he plans to make things up to Mycroft even now. Until I am proven wrong, I refuse to believe that Sherlock taking the heroin out and going to MI-6 is the act of a desperate man and is instead the act of a most clever man about to make taking down Milieu his mission so that his brother can return to his life. I may be completely wrong but I hope not. I also love Sherlock's speech to Watson about how he can now change. I hope so because character growth in Sherlock is one of the reasons while I am still watching Elementary. It should be interesting to see how they function in different spaces and even more so, how much he plans to tell her about MI-6. Partners keeping secrets never end well. Sadly though, it feels like we are saying adieu to Mycroft far too soon. I had hoped that he would continue on with MI-6 and that their paths would cross on cases on occasion. Oh well, there's still Moriarty.

Grade: A-

Best Scene By Far - Sherlock tells Mycroft her knows about why he's in MI-6

Best Quote - Sherlock: "Our collaboration works, Watson. Even when things are less than ideal between us, it works. When I look back on the last 18 months, I often categorize it as a kind of grand experiment. The results of which have demonstrated to me, much to my surprise, that I am capable of change. So I will…change, for you, for the sake of our partnership, for the sake of our…our work. Stay."

Best Reason to Watch - Mycroft and everyone's reaction to his stunning revelations

Least Expected - Mycroft's car blows up

Biggest Awww Moment - Mycroft has to disappear, probably forever. I am saddened. He has more patience than I could ever have. Case in point, he hugs Sherlock and says he love him while Sherlock is insulting him. I would have punched him.

The "It's About Time Someone Shut You Up" Award - Watson tells Sherlock the only reason Mycroft is involved with MI-6 is because of him

Most Petulant - Sherlock, who refuses Joan's help in figuring out what the tattoos mean

Stoniest Glare - Captain Gregson. Seriously the man could out freeze ice in his disapproval.

Biggest Ouch - Mycroft repeats what Sherlock said to their father about him at 15. It cut him so deeply that it still effects him today.

The "It Shouldn't Surprise Me But…" Award - Sherlock breaks into a car to do surveillance. Isn't that a bit risky if the owner comes back out?

Worst Revelations - Sherlock picks up the pack of heroin and is employed by MI-6

The "Duh, It's Not that Hard" Award - I have no idea why it took so long to name Sharington as the mole. It had to be him way sooner than they stopped hemming and hawing.

Best Plan - Watson dials in Everyone before starting her conversation with Sharington. They have been quite useful this season, now protecting Watson

Best Reaction - Sherlock's shocked face when Watson calls him out on his sulking

Worst Way to Die - stoned to death

Worst Decorating - Sherlock, you are going to have one ticked realtor on your hands. It's going to be hard enough finding a buyer in a murder victim's place, much less one that likes blood spatter décor.

Worst Scavenger Hunt / Best Morning - Sherlock leaves tattoo clues in the hall for Joan to follow down to him in the living room. At least he didn't wake her up by standing over her like usual. That's a definite improvement.

The "What the Heck?" Award - While I adore Joan for getting Everyone in on her plan against Sharington, I am shocked that a group of cyber hackers, who are likely in hiding from a lot of governments, would show their faces like that. I expected them to at least be wearing disguises or something.

The "Well Played" Award - Sharington threatens to burn Mycroft with Milieu unless he allows Sharington to murder him as a traitor

Best Twist - Mycroft goes to the NSA to take care of his Sharington problem with their own Milieu contacts and exchanges information for them faking his death

TBBT - 7.23 / 7.24 - The Gorilla Dissolution / The Status Quo Combustion (season finale)

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by TBBT's finale. I love the idea of Sheldon going off on his own and maybe growing up a bit. Over the years, TBBT has grown a little stale, mostly because the characters are rarely allowed to develop and change except in very slow increments. Sheldon hasn't changed much at all. By having him face life on his own, they have a golden opportunity to stretch the character and refresh the show. I only hope that we don't miss out on all of his adventures. I would love to see what he experienced. I am also good with Stewart getting more tied into the characters' lives and the addition of Emily.

Grade: B+

Best Scene - Leonard proposes to Penny / Penny convinces Leonard to let Sheldon leave on his own

Best Quote - Bernadette: "You were right." Howard: "Welcome to Team Putz." / Bernadette: "Sweetie, I love you and as your wife, your mother is every bit my problem as she is yours, so…I want a divorce."

Best Reason to Watch - Raj and Emily are fast becoming my favorites / Stewart happy as a nurse / Sheldon travels alone

Biggest Aww - Both Leonard and Wil defend Penny from the douchey director

Biggest Surprise - Sheldon actually gives Raj good advice, despite himself / Stewart becomes Howard's mom's nurse

The "Take a Hint" Award - How is it that no one on TBBT can take a hint? Amy, if a couple starts talking about alone time, it is past time to go.

Most Bizarre Proposal Ever - Penny and Leonard kind of fall into an engagement with each other, and even they think it's anticlimactic. Luckily Leonard has had a ring ready for a couple of years and they do it right a couple of minutes later.

The "Poor Baby" Award - Leonard, whose mother is just as impossible as his roommate / Stewart, whose comic book shop burns down

Biggest Anticipation - Sheldon traveling on his own is bound to provide some desperately needed character growth. I only hope we get to see part of it and it doesn't just time jump past his adventures.

Grimm - 3.22 - Blond Ambition (season finale)

Grade: A-

Best Scene - Nick realizes he's not a Grimm

Best Quote - Teen Grimm: "Better being a Grimm than being crazy…I think." / Monroe: "You're not a Grimm anymore."

Best Reason to Fast Forward - any hint of the love spell problem

Most Improved - Monroe's dad, who comes to the rescue twice

Most Fun - DeEtta, the boozy sister

Best Wesen - the Abath, which is apparently a unicorn Wesen. Can't wait to learn more about that one.

Stupidest - Impossible to pick because no one but Adalind was exactly using their brains in Portland. How is it possible that Adalind could have tricked them so thoroughly? Does no one else have sunglasses in the entire wedding party?

Best Rescue - Drunk Sister, who ruined the hideous wedding dress to allow Rosalee to actually look beautiful on her wedding day.

The "Get in Line, Sister" Award - Juliette is ticked off at the possibility of Renard and her in a love spell plot again. Join the club. I'm ticked they even mentioned it. Foul on that play. It is best if we all develop amnesia about that one.

Worst Timing - a bloody Teen Grimm interrupts the wedding and everyone panics

Biggest Aww Moment - Monroe's dad buys Rosalee a much better wedding dress, while their moms push the dress shop attendant to open the door to them

Funniest Moment - everyone at the wedding rehearsal makes excuses for why Nick must wear his sunglasses

The "This Can't End Well" award - Nick sleeps with Adalind disguised as Juliette. No long-term consequences from that one I bet and I'm not talking about Nick's inability to see Wesen. Oh the melodrama.

The "Thank Goodness" Award - I was seriously questioning Rosalee's sanity when she chose that hideous dress to be married in. Thanks Monroe for setting the record straight. No one should feel obliged to wear someone else's dress on their special day.

Best Reaction - Monroe and Rosalee to the wedding dress being ruined / Monroe's mom smiling when the dress shop attendant opens the door / Nick realizes he's not a Grimm anymore

Best Toast - Monroe's dad apologizes to Monroe, Rosalee, and Nick, plus gives a tribute to his wife

Most in Need of Basic Emergency Lessons - Teen Grimm, who fans the flames coming out of the stove instead of smothers them

The "Yeah, This is Never Going to Work" award - Unless you have Teen Grimm living in the trailer, this parking it in the woods will backfire on you. It's called a paper trail, Nick. You use them all the time in your job.

Most Wicked - the 3 bladed knife

The "Say What?" Award - Why do spells/clues written in foreign languages always rhyme in English? It's the Goonies Quandary.

Biggest Plot Device - Nick's phone. It keeps ringing with important information, which he never gets because it's never on him.



Screencaps by Screenrant, The Escapist, Grimm NBC, Idiotbox, Tumblr, Zap2It, EW, Digital Spy, Critic Wire, Liberty Voice, YouTube, The Trades, Sky, USA Network, Variety, and TV.com.

About the Author - Dahne

One part teacher librarian - one part avid TV fan, Dahne is a contributing writer for SpoilerTV, where she recaps, reviews, and creates polls for Sleepy Hollow, Arrow, White Collar, Grimm, Teen Wolf, and others. She's addicted to Twitter, live tweets a multitude of shows each week, and co-hosts the Warehouse 13 "Endless Wonder", Sleepy Hollow "Headless," and Teen Wolf "Welcome to Beacon Hills" podcasts for Southgate Media Group. Currently she writes a Last Week in TV column for her blog and SpoilerTV. ~ "I speak TV."